Looks like the Seahawks are serious about fixing the running game this year.

So serious, they surprised just about everyone by trading down nine spots in round one then drafting San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny with the 27th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

Penny, 5 feet 11 and 220 pounds, led the nation with 2,248 yards rushing yards, scoring 23 touchdowns last season for the Aztecs. He is a physical back with 4.46 speed in the 40-yard dash. He's known as a guy who seeks to run through holes and over people rather than away from them.

With team owner Paul Allen at coach Pete Carroll's right in the Seahawks' draft room, the Seahawks made a running back their first-round pick for only the third time in team history. The others: Curt Warner and Shaun Alexander.

Seattle's running backs were last in the league last season in rushing yards produced. Quarterback Russell Wilson led the team in rushing.

Penny joins Chris Carson, a 2017 seventh-round pick returning from a broken leg and ankle-ligament injuries; former practice-squad player Mike Davis; and often-injured C.J. Prosise in the Seahawks' backfield.

Earlier Thursday evening, Seattle made a trade involving its first-round pick for the seventh consecutive year. General manager John Schneider made a deal with his former employers in Green Bay to move down from the 18th pick to the 27th in round one. The Seahawks also gained a third-round choice they were missing and a sixth-round pick they also did not have entering the draft.

The official deal: Seattle traded the 18th pick plus a seventh-round selection (248 overall) to Green Bay for the 27th pick in round one, a third-round choice (76) and sixth-round pick (186).

Thursday's deal down was the 55th trade involving at least one draft choice in the nine years Carroll and Schneider have been running the Seahawks.